Sports Complex Funding Still Unsure

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) The $7.5 million gift ReAL Salt Lake has promised to help buid youth soccer complex in Salt Lake City is little more than a promise at this point. Salt Lake City needs the team's money in hand before it can tap a $15 million voter bond for the playing field complex. But RSL CEO Dean Howes says the team needs more assurance before he writes that check:

"We want their money to be as secure as our money," says Howes. "Once we all feel good that when we put our money in the project can get built, then being first or second is immaterial. Until then, I think both the community - the council - is going to be hesitant. And we're going to be hesitant."

Howes says ReAL remains committed to helping build a regional sports complex in Salt Lake City. The team's seven-point-five million donation was part of a deal it brokered with the Governor and Utah Legislature for public funding to build it's Sandy stadium. If ReAL backs out of its commitment to the youth sports complex, city officials say they have no other likely donors to match the voter bond. ReAL will pow-wow with Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and park officials this Friday to negotiate the funding and possible naming rights or other benefits the team will garner from its donation.

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